These simple bottom-living, reef-building and filter-feeding bivalves are in fact a very important species! Oysters have disappeared from estuaries along the Atlantic coastline mainly due to pollution, disease and over-harvest. Here in the Great Bay estuary, New Hampshire's oysters were once common enough to serve a critical role in filtering the bay’s water every couple days, removing plankton and excess nutrients from the water. Today, there are not enough oysters in the estuary to effectively provide this vital service, and the decline in filtering oysters has resulted in diminished ecological benefits for water quality and clarity, nitrogen control, and fish production.

A single acre of healthy oyster reef can process up to a ton of harmful nitrogen each year! Today about 85 acres exist, including 25 acres restored since 2009 through efforts led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and University of New Hampshire (UNH). To help bring back a sustainable natural filtration system to the Great Bay and Piscataqua estuaries, we have added 4 million oysters with the help of the local community through the Oyster Conservationist (OC) Program.

Together with UNH, we are leading efforts to rebuild historic oyster reefs, but we need your help. Local residents like you have been actively participating in the OC Program since 2006 and have raised nearly 120,000 oysters off their docks, moorings and boats for restoration.

Who Are Oyster Conservationists and What Do They Do?

OC volunteers are just like you and me. They:

Are local residents of New Hampshire and Maine with water access (dock, mooring, boat, or other means of water access);

Are committed to helping improve the health of Great Bay and Piscataqua Estuary;

Participate by raising a cage of oysters off their docks, moorings, boats or by other means of access to water for 10 weeks (mid July - mid September);

Check on their oysters once (briefly) per week for predators and fouling;

Collect data on oyster size (to track growth at site) every other week (total of 4-5 times during summer) – takes less than an hour!

Say goodbye to their oysters in mid-September as they are planted at restoration reef sites to they help filter the bay’s water;

Communicate with Program Coordinator on any questions during their experience or help with checking on oysters while away on travel;

You May Ask Yourself: "How Does Serving as an Oyster Conservationist Benefit Me?"

During this program you will:

Directly engage in oyster restoration effort;

Contribute to making a difference in your local estuary;

Meet other like-minded people in our growing oyster community;

Get motivated to be outside in nature/your backyard/water access;

Experience a hands-on learning opportunity – about the magnificent oyster!

Enjoy a family-friendly activity.

YES! I Want to Volunteer! What Do I Do Now?

The 2018 Oyster Conservationist Program is currently underway! The plan and schedule is as follows:

• Early June: Contact and confirm list of new and returning Oyster Conservationists participating this season (for ten weeks).
• Mid-July - Oyster Cage Delivery: Young oysters will be delivered to you in a cage (20”x13”x6”) and secured to your dock/mooring/etc. Our cage set-up includes a 4'-5’ rope and float to keep the oysters slightly elevated off bottom. Kara will provide a training session and answer any questions you have.
• July-September: OC Program continues for 10 weeks (involves weekly monitoring of oyster cages for predators and 4-5 data collections on oyster growth).
• Mid-September - Oyster Cage Pickup: Amanda will collect oyster cages and the oyster will be moved to Jackson Estuarine Lab at UNH until ready for planting at the restoration site of the Piscataqua River.

Do you have a dock, mooring, boat or other access to water and interest in helping with oyster restoration this season?

The Nature Conservancy is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 53-0242652) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.